320:), recruited among the inhabitants and paid from the local taxes. These guards lived permanently in the tower. They could leave for no more than two days, to collect supplies and pay, and only one at a time. They ensured the lookout with regular fires and signals: every morning and evening they assembled on the platform, informed navigators, shepherds and ploughmen about safety, communicating by fires with the closest towers within sight, and looked out for the arrival of possible pirates.
365:
31:
299:
127:
often rowed by
Christian slaves began attacking villages around the Corsican coastline. Many hundreds of villagers were captured and taken away to be sold as slaves. The Genoese Republic responded by building a series of towers around the coastline. Most were built to a similar circular design with a
231:
The towers caused multiple problems for the
Genoese authorities; their isolated locations made them prime targets for pirates and constructional defects caused collapses. Several inventories of the towers were carried out but no precise number could be determined. The Republic of Genoa also had to
331:), warning the surroundings of the approach of hostile ships. It was followed by the general withdrawal of the people and animals to the interior of the country. The two closest towers in sight were ignited and so on, which made it possible to put the entire island on alert within a few hours.
387:
marking the level of the first floor. The base contained a cistern, fed with rainwater by an internal pipe from the terrace. The vaulted room on the first floor was connected to the terrace by a staircase built into the thick exterior wall and protected at the top by a small
289:
An important restoration programme, financed essentially by the local authorities although they are not owners, was introduced to save some of them. Unfortunately, because of a lack of means and maintenance, many of these symbols of the island continue to deteriorate.
396:
battlement. A doorway in the side of the tower at the first floor level was reached by a removable wooden ladder. A few towers were taller, at around 17 metres (56 ft), and included a second internal vaulted room above the first. Examples are the
199:
circumference. The towers performed three functions: they defended the villages and ports, they acted as landmarks for navigators and they allowed news of an attack to be rapidly signalled to other communities along the coast.
279:
Today the
Genoese towers represent a considerable heritage. Of the 85 towers existing at the beginning of the 18th century, 67 still stand today. Some are in ruins; others are in a good state. Many are classified as
194:
The work began under the supervision of two new
Genoese representatives, Sebastiano Doria and Pietro Filippo Grimaldi Podio. The objective was to extend to Corsica the system of vigilance already in force on the
203:
An inventory of the coastal towers produced by the
Genoese authorities in 1617 lists 86 towers. Two additional towers were constructed before the building program was abandoned. These were the
349:
often neglected their military role, to concentrate on the control of the maritime trade and the enforcement of various taxes. They also traded wood and farmed the surrounding lands.
627:
235:
Consequently, from the end of the 17th century until 1768, the date of the conquest of the island by France, the number of maintained towers decreased considerably. When
383:. The circular towers were typically 12 metres (39 ft) high and 10 metres (33 ft) in diameter at the base reducing to 7 metres (23 ft) at the moulded
705:
375:
The
Genoese towers were constructed of stone blocks held together with mortar. Most of the towers were circular in plan although a few were square, such as the
175:
The construction of these towers started in the 16th century, at the request of village communities to protect themselves against pirates. In 1531, the
Genoese
132:. Nearly one hundred were constructed before the Genoese decided in around 1620 that they were unable to defend the island and abandoned the building program.
735:
Graziani, Antoine-Marie (2000). "Les ouvrages de défense en Corse contre les Turcs (1530-1650)". In Vergé-Franceschi, Michel; Graziani, Antoine-Marie (eds.).
413:. The towers were manned by an officer and two or three soldiers who lived in the room on the first floor which had niches in the walls and a fireplace.
879:
578:
518:
531:
777:
219:. Of these 88 towers, little or nothing survives for twenty of them. Two towers on the list were already in a ruined state in 1617: the
232:
deal with many financial conflicts, quarrels of communities, defection of guards, unpaid debts, and requests for supplies or weapons.
838:
819:
744:
724:
427:
636:
889:
334:
Certain garrisons had to be defended against the invaders, and combatants' remains were found at their bases. Thus, the famous
107:
expanded their control of the
Mediterranean westwards and became a dominant maritime power in the region. In 1480 they sacked
406:
323:
In the event of alarm, a signal was given on the terrace at the top of the tower, in the form of smoke, fire or the sound of
264:
243:
in 1755, only 22 towers remained, some of which were occupied by the French troops. The continual guerrilla wars during the
678:
787:
Graziani, Antoine-Marie (2001). "La menace barbareque en Corse et la construction d'un système de défense (1510-1610)".
356:, as times went by, some towers were deserted. They deteriorated, fell in ruins, or were destroyed for lack of defence.
159:
810:
Phillips, Carla Rahn (2000). "Navies and the
Mediterranean in the early modern period". In Hattendorf, John B (ed.).
874:
154:
The ruined
Genoese towers are now a prominent feature of the Corsican coastline. Many have been listed as official
144:
577:
Istria, Daniel; Harnéquaux, Mathieu. "La protection du littoral : un enjeu majeur aux XVI et XVII siècles".
136:
187:. In 1531, the construction of ninety towers on the Corsican littoral was decided, thirty-two of them in the
212:
208:
587:
260:
147:. Impressed by their effectiveness and simple design, the British built many similar towers, calling them
884:
35:
796:
664:
614:
564:
537:
176:
629:
Document d'objectifs NATURA 2000, Iles Pinarellu et Roscana, Zone spéciale de conservation FR9400585
282:
204:
155:
586:(in French). Centre Régional de Documentation Pédagogique de Corse. pp. 17–20. Archived from
699:
422:
380:
302:
256:
335:
635:. Conservatoire de l’Espace Littoral et des Rivages Lacustres. 2010. p. 31. Archived from
834:
815:
773:
740:
720:
687:
527:
398:
369:
313:
268:
248:
240:
196:
140:
100:
82:
54:
95:
had been controlled by the Genoese since 1284 when they established their supremacy over the
352:
Although the unjustified absence of a guard was prohibited under penalty of replacement and
252:
220:
184:
96:
74:
364:
341:
The towers were always insufficiently armed. They were used mainly as customs stations and
761:
86:
46:
30:
517:
Colombani, Philippe; Harnéquaux, Mathieu; Istria, Daniel (2008). "Les tours génoises".
432:
376:
236:
180:
148:
104:
868:
766:
393:
384:
306:
247:
period caused the destruction of several of these buildings, including the towers of
216:
129:
526:(in French). Centre Régional de Documentation Pédagogique de Corse. pp. 15–16.
298:
353:
800:
739:(in French). Paris: Presses de l'Université Paris IV-Sorbonne. pp. 73–144.
139:, British naval forces struggled to capture a Genoese tower in Corsica near the
768:
The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II. Volume 2
691:
17:
410:
188:
116:
179:
sent two extraordinary representatives, Paolo Battista Calvo and Francesco
669:
Bulletin archéologique du Comité des travaux historiques et scientifiques
812:
Naval Strategy and Power in the Mediterranean: Past, Present and Future
402:
389:
342:
112:
108:
92:
772:. Renolds, Sîan trans. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
120:
731:
Source documents in Italian from the archives in the town of Genoa.
861:
Information on how to reach 90 towers. Includes 1,261 photographs.
363:
328:
297:
124:
29:
271:. By the end of the 18th century, few towers were still intact.
312:
The garrison of a tower consisted of between two and six men (
183:, to inspect the fortifications defending the island from the
856:
719:(in French and Italian). Ajaccio, France: Alain Piazzola.
259:. The battle for the landing of the British troops of the
211:(completed in 1620) both in the south of Corsica between
143:, one of two towers guarding the entrance to the port of
81:) are a series of coastal defences constructed by the
805:(in French). Paris: Fournier jeune. pp. 163–165.
338:
took its name from the bones buried along its walls.
115:. In the first decades of the 16th century Turkish
111:in southern Italy and in 1516 they took control of
765:
814:. Abingdon, Oxon, UK: Frank Cass. pp. 3–29.
435:, similar structures in Great Britain and Ireland
223:and the Torra di Travo, both on the east coast.
833:. Cranbury, NJ: Associated Universities Press.
737:La guerre de course en Méditerranée (1515-1830)
68:
62:
239:was elected President of the new independent
85:between 1530 and 1620 to stem the attacks by
8:
675:The article was also published separately:
610:
560:
512:
510:
508:
704:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
855:Nivaggioni, Mathieu; Verges, Jean-Marie.
103:. Toward the end of the 15th century the
665:"Tours génoises du littoral de la Corse"
499:
487:
475:
463:
451:
444:
697:
680:Tours génoises du littoral de la Corse
392:. The terrace was surrounded by a low
7:
25:
428:List of Genoese towers in Corsica
880:Monuments historiques of Corsica
715:Graziani, Antoine-Marie (1992).
677:Fréminville, Joseph de (1894).
663:Fréminville, Joseph de (1894).
580:Sevi - Sorru Cruzzini - Cinarca
407:Torra di Santa Maria Chjapella
1:
263:in 1794 ruined the towers of
265:Santa Maria della Chiappella
207:(completed in 1619) and the
857:"Les Tours GĂ©noises Corses"
64:torre ghjenuvese di Corsica
59:torri ghjenuvesi di Corsica
27:Coastal defences of Corsica
906:
829:Sutcliffe, Sheila (1973).
802:Notes d'un voyage en Corse
160:French Ministry of Culture
128:roof terrace protected by
789:Revue d'histoire maritime
137:French Revolutionary Wars
79:torri genovesi di Corsica
43:Genoese towers in Corsica
354:becoming a galley slave
51:tours génoises de Corse
890:Coastal fortifications
372:
317:
309:
261:Anglo-Corsican Kingdom
78:
69:
63:
58:
50:
38:
367:
305:: detail showing the
301:
283:Monuments historiques
33:
717:Les Tours Littorales
686:(in French). Paris.
440:Notes and references
209:Torra di Sant'Amanza
177:Bank of Saint George
156:Historical Monuments
135:In 1794, during the
671:(in French): 47–57.
490:, pp. 134–137.
368:Section though the
205:Torra di Sponsaglia
533:978-2-86-620-212-5
423:History of Corsica
381:Torra di Pinareddu
373:
310:
303:Torra di Capiteddu
61:, singular :
39:
875:Towers in Corsica
779:978-0-520-20330-3
454:, pp. 17–18.
399:Torra di a Parata
370:Torra di a Parata
241:Corsican Republic
101:Battle of Meloria
83:Republic of Genoa
34:Genoese tower of
16:(Redirected from
897:
860:
844:
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797:Mérimée, Prosper
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536:. Archived from
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221:Torra di Vignale
185:Barbary corsairs
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831:Martello Towers
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791:(2–3): 141–160.
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336:Torra di l'Osse
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149:Martello towers
87:Barbary pirates
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849:External links
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476:Graziani 2000
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859:(in French).
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644:. Retrieved
637:the original
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595:. Retrieved
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545:. Retrieved
538:the original
520:L'Alta Rocca
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36:Capu di Muru
869:Categories
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613:, p.
597:2014-05-25
563:, p.
547:2017-03-18
347:torregiani
318:torregiani
764:(1995) .
700:cite book
692:494605587
411:Capicorsu
327:(a large
257:Solenzara
213:Bonifacio
189:Cap Corse
799:(1840).
417:See also
405:and the
379:and the
343:daymarks
314:Corsican
294:Function
275:Heritage
269:Mortella
117:corsairs
55:Corsican
657:Sources
403:Ajaccio
390:guerite
325:culombu
253:Caldane
249:Tizzano
245:paolian
227:Decline
166:History
158:by the
121:galleys
113:Algiers
109:Otranto
93:Corsica
75:Italian
67:, also
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743:
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345:. The
125:fustas
97:Pisans
70:torra-
47:French
684:(PDF)
640:(PDF)
633:(PDF)
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541:(PDF)
524:(PDF)
401:near
329:conch
181:Doria
835:ISBN
816:ISBN
774:ISBN
741:ISBN
721:ISBN
706:link
688:OCLC
528:ISBN
267:and
215:and
123:and
41:The
409:in
119:in
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